BREAD FOR FOOD

Pasta

Pasta meals are a favorite with both adults and children.  This Staple food is given the credit of beginning in Italy, today however this dish is enjoyed in many countries around the world.

There are many types, shapes and colors of pasta available; Spaghetti, Elbow Macaroni, Lasagna and Egg Noodle, just to mention a few. It was stated before that Staple foods are not fattening, however eating only Staple foods on a daily basic without professional guidance is not recommended and it is not a part of healthy eating. Healthy eating consists of consuming all of the six food groups on a regular basic and in a proportional manner.

Pasta provides us with the opportunity to prepare many healthy dishes. That is, you can add vegetables, meats and legumes, just to name a few, to it.

Spaghetti takes the shape of a cord and in the Pasta section of the Supermarket you will find Spaghetti and Thin Spaghetti. That is, one is thinner than the other.

There is also the choice of eating refined and, or whole wheat Pasta. Whole-wheat products are generally healthier, but many times they usually take a little getting use to, before it becomes a regular part of our diet. So, why not try a few different makers of whole wheat Spaghetti, a little at a time, until you find one or two that you really enjoy.

Elbow Macaroni is a favorite with many children. It is famous for its Macaroni and Cheese and Macaroni Pie. Chicken, beef, tuna, sweet peppers and vegetables also goes well with it and the next time you are making soup, adding some of this Pasta to it will enhance the soup.

(a) Boil the water with a lid on the pot before adding the Pasta.

To save on gas and, or energy some people usually add the Pasta to the water before the water is boiled. However, cooking pasta in this manner is a bit more time-consuming and you usually end up using more gas and energy.

The boiled water helps to prevent the food from sticking together and thereby reduces the length of time that is spent "stirring the pot" to separate them. Usually what happens is that when the pot is stirred, it cools the water and therefore it will need a few more minutes to reach the boiling point to cook the food.

(b) Run the Pasta under a little cold water.

If the recipe requires the Pasta to be cool before using it or if you are not going to use it immediately after it is cooked, you can "run" it under a little cold water. This will help to speed up the cooling down process, while at the same time it will help to prevent the Pasta from sticking together after cooking. The starch is mainly responsible for the sticking together.